SCRIPT FOR FULL MINDFULNESS PRACTICE

1 SCRIPT FOR full MINDFULNESS PRACTICE BODY SCAN 40 MINUTES Before we begin, take time to get yourself comfortable. To do the body scan, you can either sit in a chair, or, if you prefer, lie on your back on a rug or mat. Wherever you choose to do this, make sure that you re comfortable, and able to let the chair, mat or rug support you completely. It s important that you arrange to do this PRACTICE in a warm and protected place, in which you feel comfortable and secure. It s best to do it at a time when you won t be interrupted by family, pets or phone calls. Dress in loose comfortable clothes being particularly conscious to wear cloths that are loose at the waist.

2 It s helpful to see this as a time for you, a time for nurturing yourself for self-care, as an opportunity to be by yourself and with yourself fully. Allow it to be a nourishing time, a time to give yourself some positive energy and attention, a time to open to the sources of strength and healing that are within you. It s essential not to try to relax too hard, this will just create tension. Be aware of each passing moment, and accept whatever is happening in yourself, looking at it clearly, simply because it is there. Letting go of the tendency, which we all have, of wanting things to be different from how they are right now.

3 Allowing things to be exactly as they are right now, and allowing yourself to be exactly as you are. So use these instructions for guidance, noticing your body and the activity of the mind as we go along, treating yourself with kindness, letting go of judgment and critical thoughts. Just do what it says to do, being aware of how you feel and what is happening. There s no one right way to feel while you do this. The way you re feeling is fine; it s just the way you re feeling. Simply accept it, giving yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you re feeling, seeing that it is okay.

4 Do the body scan in whatever position is comfortable for you; if lying on your back is not comfortable, then change position. It is your sincerity and level of attention and not the way that you re laying that is most important. Remember to breathe fully, and to allow the breath to flow freely into and out of the body. Allow your eyes to close gently if you feel comfortable with that. And bringing the arms alongside the body with the palms open to the ceiling, legs outstretched, ankles uncrossed. Take a moment to feel the body as a whole right now.

5 Sensing the support, there s no need to hold the body right now; its being held by the mat, or the floor, or the bed. Now bring attention to the fact that you are breathing, not changing the breath in any way, but simply experiencing the air as it comes into and out of the body. Becoming aware of the abdomen rising as the air comes into the body, and falling and the air moves out of the body. Not controlling the breath in any way. Rather just becoming aware of the rhythm and flow of the breath, noticing that as the breath flow naturally, the abdomen lifts with each in breath, and falls with as the breath moves out.

6 Paying attention to the breath moving in and out this way. Filling the lungs with each in breath. And on each breath, just letting go, letting your body rest more deeply into your mat. If you become distracted or lost at any time during this exercise, bring yourself back to the breath. The breath is the anchor of your attention. Now, on the next out breath, directing your attention from the breath all the way through the body, coming to the left foot and directing your attention to big toe of the left foot. Noticing any sensations here. Perhaps feeling coolness or warmth, any sensations of air, the touch of a stocking or sock.

7 Perhaps feeling nothing. Being with whatever is happening at this part of your body. And moving attention from the big toe to the others toes of the foot. Aware of the skin and the nails. The space between the toes. Any sensations of temperature, tingling pulsing. Moving now to the ball of the left foot .. feeling the heel in contact with the mat. Coming to the top of the left foot. Aware of the skin, the muscles. And expanding your attention now, to include the entire left foot, to include bones and sensations. And breathing in, as if you could breath right into the foot, and then breathing out from the foot.

8 Breathing in, bringing in newness and freshness, and breathing out, releasing any tension, any tightness, just letting it go. Coming now top the left ankle, aware of the bones, the tendons, the skin, and breathing into the ankle, breathing in, breathing out. And moving to the lower left leg, possibly feeling the contact of the leg with the mat. Aware of the skin, and the calf muscle, the shin bone, any sensations in the part of the body. Breathing into the calf, the lower leg. And breathing out. Moving to the left knee, circling the knee joint with your attention, exploring the kneecap, the cartilage, the hinge, and the underside of the knee.

9 Aware of any sensations here. As we listen deeply to any part of the body, we may experience strong sensations. If we can just be with it, exactly as it is. Trying not to judge, but being fully present to each sensation. And as we move through the body, releasing and letting go to the best of our ability. And coming now to the left thigh, becoming aware of the skin and muscle. Perhaps feeling the pulsation of circulation here. There may be feelings of heaviness, or weightiness, feeling the contact of the thigh with the surface that you re lying on. Aware of the thighbone as it rests in the hip socket.

10 And taking a breath in. breathing all the way through the left leg, the thigh,.. lower Filling the entire leg and foot with freshness, newness. And as you breath out, releasing any congestion, any tiredness. Bringing attention now to the place where the thighbone rests in the hip socket. And spanning your attention across the hips and all the way down the right leg to the right foot and now to the big toe of the right foot. Noticing any sensations here, perhaps sensing coolness, dryness, moisture, tingling, or nothing at all. Noticing what is happening in your body right now.